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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24548179">Fluster</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrazzledDragon/pseuds/FrazzledDragon'>FrazzledDragon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crushes, Cute, Fluff, Friendly Platonic Payback, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot, Pining, Then it gets Less Platonic, i'm love him and his dumb ass, soft bois, tanaka has a gay crisis, tanaka is a pure and good boy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:02:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,859</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24548179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrazzledDragon/pseuds/FrazzledDragon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ennoshita is tired of Tanaka and Noya harrassing poor Kiyoko and decides to do something about it.</p>
<p>Revelations ensue.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>308</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fluster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It starts innocently enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka and Noya are begging for Kiyoko to spank them. Again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not even the first time today, and Ennoshita, tired of listening to them harass Kiyoko who Did Not Ask For This, just comes up behind Tanaka and smacks his ass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Noya’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both Tanaka and Noya spin, their cheeks bright, bioluminescent red, and Ennoshita just shrugs at their bewildered gazes. “If you want your ass smacked, there are lots of people who can do that for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko has an appreciative glimmer in her eyes as Noya and Tanaka are left rubbing their rears and blinking in confusion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not nearly long enough until the next time, though this time Noya and Tanaka are insisting on good-luck kisses on the cheek. Kiyoko looks up and makes solid eye-contact with Ennoshita for exactly one second, but it’s enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita swoops in and gives both of them loud, smacking kisses on the cheek. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Noya is left grumbling, but Ennoshita notices, out of the corner of his eye, that Tanaka is blushing like a fool. He snorts; maybe that will be enough for him to stop bothering the team manager so much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko catches him later, her smile warm and gentle. “Thanks for what you did today. Noya’s already apologized to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita nods, satisfied. “Tanaka hasn’t said anything?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking her head, Ennoshita doesn’t miss the mildly bewildered look on her face. “No, he hasn’t… He looked pretty funny after you kissed him though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t have a response to that, so he just shakes his head and sighs. Tanaka </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> look pretty funny. “You’d think they’d have figured it out by now, but they’d probably have better luck with women if they didn’t talk to you like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gives him an odd sort of look, one that seems simultaneously piercing and knowing. “You’re right,” she says finally, shrugging. “See you tomorrow at practice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles faintly and nods. “See you, Kiyoko.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The third time, Noya is watching him like a hawk, sharp brown eyes tracking him as he goes to grab a drink. His comments have greatly changed - they’re actually closer to… well, compliments. He says her hair looks nice, then watches to ensure that Ennoshita isn’t coming closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which honestly makes him laugh, because how could he possibly make him feel awkward by complimenting his hair? Noya’s hair is his pride and joy (and a significant portion of his height). But because he’s watching Noya in amusement, he misses Tanaka’s almost tentative approach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does this mean I don’t get a kiss on the cheek?” Tanaka says, just a touch too loud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita swoops in, just as before, but this time, he braces his fingertips on Tanaka’s cheek. Then lingers, for just a moment, so brief that an outsider wouldn’t even notice, just to see what his reaction will be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He is not disappointed. But he is confused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka is </span>
  <em>
    <span>flustered</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Red cheeks, eyes on the ground, flinching with his shoulders caving inwards. Hands that don’t seem to know what to do with themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did he do this on purpose?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that’s ridiculous. Tanaka is the straightest straight ever to heterosexual. Anyone who has eyes can see that. People without eyes can see it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Ennoshita is either imagining it, or Tanaka’s trying to set him up for some sort of joke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, if he thinks he can embarrass Ennoshita, he’s got another thing coming. Though he doesn’t exactly advertise it, the only person who can embarrass Ennoshita is Ennoshita himself, and even that isn’t easy to do.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Tanaka doesn’t stop making comments. So, Ennoshita doesn’t stop responding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes it’s a smack on the ass, or a kiss on the cheek, or a hand sliding down his back. Sometimes it’s a forehead kiss, or a kiss on the tip of his nose. Tanaka gets redder and more flustered every time, but he doesn’t stop, doesn’t learn like Noya does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita isn’t sure he understands, but he’s not one to run away from a challenge. Never again. He has </span>
  <em>
    <span>no </span>
  </em>
  <span>intentions of backing down. If this is a challenge to see who will chicken out first, who is the most afraid of platonic affection or losing “masculinity points”, Ennoshita </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> win. Period.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka panics when he walks in the gym, Kiyoko almost colliding with him. However, he’s not panicking because of Kiyoko. Actually, that’s not even on his mind. He just stutters out a comment he knows will attract attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s panicking cause he can see Ennoshita in his peripherals and his heart is already pounding against his ribcage at the thought of him getting close again. He didn’t know he was bisexual, or pansexual, or whatever this makes him, but he knows he wants to kiss Ennoshita properly and find out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wants it so bad, he can almost taste it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today, it’s another kiss on the cheek, accompanied with two finger-tips trailing down his cheek and one hand braced lightly on his chest. Daichi doesn’t say anything, just laughs as Tanaka stutters, even at the brief, fluttery contact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita is warm and solid and fleeting, all at once, and Tanaka has never once felt like this, not even for Kiyoko. He has no idea what to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Tanaka!" Suga's voice calls, and he's grinning too, and Tanaka prepares himself for another condescending explanation of how to make Ennoshita stop. Tsukishima and Yachi had already tried, as well as Hinata and Asahi. He'd played dumb, but knew he had been blushing the entire time. He was hopeless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He jogs over to Suga, prepared to be embarrassed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Daichi and I have been wondering if you like Ennoshita?" Suga asks with absolutely no warning nor consideration for how absolutely earth-shattering this question is for Tanaka.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gapes like a fish out of water, trying to formulate some response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi joins them a moment later. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>told</span>
  </em>
  <span> you he probably wasn’t out yet, Suga. You’re too direct. I knew we shouldn’t have said anything. He’s all embarrassed now, look at him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka can’t breathe, but gasps out, “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga snorts. “You’re not that stupid, Tanaka. Especially not with your heart. If I were to guess, you probably learned a lot from that first slap on the ass, hmm?” Suga’s doing something with his eyebrows that Tanaka figures is best not to acknowledge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s with a very quiet, very small voice he asks, “Does Ennoshita know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi smiles gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Ennoshita thinks you’re extremely straight and trying to embarrass him in some sort of twisted game of chicken.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka wilts a little. “I’m sorry,” he says, not entirely sure what exactly he’s apologizing for, but figuring it’s his best course of action now that his whole world’s been turned upside down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga’s face flashes with sympathy, and he moves to wrap an arm around Tanaka’s back. “It’s alright. Sexuality is a confusing little shit. It can be really hard to get a handle on what you do and don’t like, </span>
  <em>
    <span>who</span>
  </em>
  <span> you do and don’t like. Just ask Daichi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi flushes red. “Not fair. But very true.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka frowns. “Wait, you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> straight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga laughs. “Considering we make out in the storage closet when no one’s looking, I’d say probably not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi blushes darker, and Tanaka gapes again. “Wait - you two are together?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga smirks, opening his mouth, before Daichi interrupts him. “Yes! No more questions!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka wraps his arms around his middle. “I should probably tell Chikara, right? I don’t want to lie to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga squeezes him gently. “Only if you’re comfortable. I hardly think Ennoshita will be mean if he rejects you. He respects you as a person and a player. If you’re not comfortable, or would like more time to get a handle on how you feel, you should do that. Ennoshita isn’t going anywhere. You have time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why is this so scary?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga and Daichi shrug simultaneously. “Because it’s real. And it feels like the end of the world even if it isn’t. Will you be safe at home if you come out?” Daichi gets quieter as an unknowing Hinata wanders unintentionally closer to the small group.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka looks up in surprise. “Saeko’s pansexual. If my parents were gonna be upset, they’d probably have done something by now. She’s been out for two years and has dated more women and nonbinary people than men.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi shrugs. “That’s good, at least. I found it grounding to come out to my family before telling Suga.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga smiles at him, in a way that Tanaka cannot imagine being directed at anyone else but Sawamura Daichi. “You took your damn sweet time with it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi chuckles. “Good things come to those who wait.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do… Do you think there’s any chance he likes me too?” He isn’t sure what answer he’s hoping for. Anything to quell the anxiety growing in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suga squeezes him again. “I think you need to tell him, and you’ll find out. There’s no answer we can give you that will make it easier. Or, you can choose to not to. Whatever keeps you happiest and safest, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, thanks for your help,” Tanaka mumbles. “I think I needed someone to say it outright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ha!” Suga giggles, nudging Daichi. “I was right!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi rolls his eyes, before rubbing Tanaka’s head like they do during games. Tanaka thinks it’s for luck. He hopes it is, because he’ll need it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kiyoko?” Tanaka says tentatively, approaching her alone. He made sure to wait until Ennoshita left. “Can… Can I… Would you be comfortable with…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko stops slipping her shoes on, walking over to Tanaka. Her eyes are serious and calculating. “I’m not scared of you, Tanaka Ryuunosuke.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a deep breath. “I’m really sorry. For everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiles at him. “I thought as much.” She squeezes his arm comfortingly. “It was about Ennoshita, wasn’t it? All of it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He flushes darkly and shuffles his feet, but Kiyoko’s grip on his arm is iron tight. “Yeah… I’m… I’m sorry I… I went about all this so stupidly and…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tanaka. I understand. The heart is hard to follow sometimes. But I’m not the one you should be talking to about this.” She raises her eyebrow expectantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wilts under her gaze. “I don’t think I can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She doesn’t immediately build him. She doesn’t insist he can, doesn’t make fun of him. All she says is, “Why not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I started down the coward road and now I feel like I’m stuck on it.” He takes a deep breath, his throat suddenly tight. “I didn’t know until he… Until he kissed my cheek? And… and then… I couldn’t tell him… and… and now… it’s awkward and late and he’s… he thinks I’m taunting him… and…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko shakes her head. “You are not stuck, Tanaka. You are too strong to get stuck. You are scared. That is completely normal and completely okay. You can be scared </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> tell him. You don’t have to be strong and perfect and flirtatious. You can be scared and uncertain and honest. I think you’ll find that that can be good too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods. “I… I think I could be scared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grins, warm and encouraging. “The idea that you have to know what you’re doing is terrifying and impossible. You don’t have to know. You just have to be willing to try. If you try, and you find that it’s not working, you have left the room to be honest. And if you want to get it over with, Ennoshita is waiting outside to walk me to the bus stop. Daichi might have clued me into the possibility of you talking to me, so I may or may not have double-booked escorts to the bus stop.” She winks, gesturing to Yachi, who has just left the locker-room and is double-checking her bag. “If you don’t want to do this tonight, I’ll have two people to talk to tonight. If you do, you can tell him Yachi had girl troubles and I’ll walk with her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shivers, terrified, but he nods. “I… I’ll try tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiles. “Don’t be afraid to be scared. To be uncertain. Just say what you’re thinking. What you’re feeling. Even if it feels dumb. That’s what crushes and love are all about - trust. Trust Ennoshita to not react badly, trust him to treat you right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wanders out toward where he knows Ennoshita is waiting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita looks up in surprise. “Is Kiyoko still in there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka stumbles, but manages, “Uh… Kiyoko said Yachi was having girl troubles and that she was going to help her, then walk with her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frowning, Ennoshita starts toward the gym. “Is Yachi okay? Is she hurt? Does she need a pad or something? A tampon? I have-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ennoshita, can I-” Tanaka begins, expecting Ennoshita to continue on toward the gym. He almost wishes he would, so he can blame his failure on anyone but himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Ennoshita stops, turns to face him. Between the gym lights filtering through the tiny windows and the moonlight from the heavens, Ennoshita looks ethereal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can… I… talk to you?” Tanaka finishes lamely, his heart speeding beyond hope of control. “I… I… I need… I have something I need to talk to you about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that’s generally why people want to talk,” Ennoshita says, but his voice is gentler than normal. “You can always talk to me, Ryuu. I thought you knew this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka blinks. If he’s not careful, he’ll start crying, and as much as he trusts Ennoshita, he does </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to do that. “I… This is just… not… not easy,” he manages. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita steps closer to him, eyes intense and dark in the starlight. “You look scared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a shaky deep breath, he meets his gaze. “That’s because I am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He steps closer. “What’s on your mind, Ryuu? I’m listening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka squeezes his eyes shut. “I… I think… I’m… I think I’m…” He waits for Ennoshita to quip, to interrupt, to do anything so Tanaka doesn’t have to finish this sentence that feels like it’s killing him. “I think I’m bisexual.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” Ennoshita says softly. “I’m honored you told me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And… I… I think… I think I like you. Like, </span>
  <em>
    <span>like like</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. I’m… I’m not sure, because I… I’m not good at understanding… what I’m… what I’m feeling and you’re… you’re so…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tanaka Ryuunosuke, I swear if that sentence doesn’t end in an insult, I might kiss you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His whole body stutters. “I was… I was gonna say you’re so confident and put together, it’s intimidating. Should I not?” He loves the way his name sounds on Ennoshita’s lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita smiles and Tanaka feels like he finally gets to breathe. “Depends on whether or not you want me to kiss you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which only makes Tanaka blush more. “I… I want…” He stammers into silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Use your words, Ryuu.” Now his tone is definitely teasing, which doesn’t help Tanaka’s blush at all. “Finish that sentence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re mean,” Tanaka whimpers, which makes Ennoshita laugh. Ennoshita slips his hands around Tanaka’s wrists, stepping even closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me show you something?” Ennoshita practically whispers, their proximity allowing the night not to steal their words. Tanaka nods, and Ennoshita raises their hands til Tanaka’s hand presses against his neck. “Feel my pulse, Ryuu.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obediently, he finds it. “It’s fast,” he whispers back, reverent in the gentle way he touches Ennoshita’s skin. “Really fast.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m scared too,” he mumbles, smile soft and tentative. “I’m just better at hiding it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never kissed anyone,” Tanaka admits to the night and to his crush, shivering as Ennoshita raises his hands, moulding them to cup his face. He’s slow to release his wrists, as if he doesn’t trust Tanaka to keep holding him, but eventually his hands slip down to Tanaka’s hips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s okay,” Ennoshita mumbles. He doesn’t hide the way his gaze keeps hopping down to Tanaka’s lips. Tanaka’s pretty sure his heart is going to break his ribcage into a million pieces.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to kiss you,” Tanaka murmurs in a moment of bravery, and Ennoshita smiles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. Is now okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka takes a deep breath. “Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their lips brush gently, softly. Just once. It’s not loud, not bombastic, not over the top. Tanaka wouldn’t change it for the whole world. It’s… perfect. Everything he wanted and so much more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like you too,” Ennoshita mumbles into his mouth. “I’m... really happy, Ryuu.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His heart swells to the exploding point and Tanaka wraps Ennoshita in a hug so tight it probably is cutting off circulation. “Me too,” he grunts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for telling me.” The statement is calm and sure, and Tanaka feels his heart swell all the more for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for… you know, not hating me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita laughs at that, squeezing him back. “Tanaka Ryuunosuke, I would have a pretty hard time hating you, dumbass.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka smiles too. “Can I walk you home?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita’s eyes narrow. “As long as I can walk you home tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka nods eagerly. “Definitely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ennoshita eyes him. “Are we dating now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dunno.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s date.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Friday? Movie?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka grins. “Yes, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You buy the popcorn?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hell yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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